bigjimslade Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I saw this article in the NRF email this morning and thought I would pass it along. This is way too early! http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-thu-sears-christmas-0709-jul09,0,7213820.story It's Christmas in July at Sears Holdings Corp. On Sunday, while most of America was recovering from Fourth of July fireworks and cookouts, the Hoffman Estates-based retailer launched an online boutique called Christmas Lane at Sears.com and Kmart.com. It also set up Christmas decor shops at 372 Sears stores, including one at Woodfield mall in Schaumburg. Sears typically waits until Nov. 1 to unveil its holiday merchandise, said Sears spokeswoman Natalie Norris-Howser. But with the recession putting a crimp in spending, the retailer is hoping to attract holiday shoppers early. "This is the first year we've done the Christmas Lane event," said Norris-Howser. "We're allowing customers to put these items on layaway and pay over time." Kmart got a boost in sales during the holiday season last year when it promoted a long-forgotten layaway program as an alternative to credit cards. Sears followed suit in November. Under a layaway program, shoppers pay for merchandise in installments and take the goods home after they are paid in full. The Web page features a drawing of a main shopping street covered in snow and Christmas wreaths and an airplane flying a banner that says, "Free shipping for purchases over $75." The site also showcases cold-weather gear such as snow blowers and electric blankets. Last year, worried about a slowdown in consumer spending, many merchants, including Home Depot, Kohl's and Walgreens, began stocking their shelves with holiday wrapping paper, trim and trees in September. The phenomenon, known as Christmas creep, is expected to kick into overdrive this year as retailers fight for their share of shoppers' shrinking pocketbooks. Most retailers generate 20 percent to 30 percent of their annual sales during the holiday season. Sears took in 28 percent of its annual revenue in its fiscal fourth quarter last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 LOL And the BF forums will be opening this month too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbdinos Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 LOL And the BF forums will be opening this month too How did you let Sears get Christmas stuff out BEFORE the GD BF forums opened? You are seriously slacking Brad... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 LOL And the BF forums will be opening this month too I dont mind BF but Ho Ho Ho when I am in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt is another thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 How did you let Sears get Christmas stuff out BEFORE the GD BF forums opened? You are seriously slacking Brad... lolyeah, but i already have the first 4 BF ads, so i'm ahead of the game. just waiting a few months to post them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 yeah, but i already have the first 4 BF ads, so i'm ahead of the game. just waiting a few months to post them Very nice! I am getting excited now. I cant wait for GD BF to open! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbdinos Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 yeah, but i already have the first 4 BF ads, so i'm ahead of the game. just waiting a few months to post them now the question is.... Does Brad REALLY have 4 BF ads.... Or is he simply trying to see how many PM's he can get begging to see them now while promising to not tell a soul...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 now the question is.... Does Brad REALLY have 4 BF ads.... Or is he simply trying to see how many PM's he can get begging to see them now while promising to not tell a soul...... OK, I lied. I only have 3 ads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbdinos Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 OK, I lied. I only have 3 ads now that you have admitted to "exaggerating".. how are we supposed to believe you really have 3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 now that you have admitted to "exaggerating".. how are we supposed to believe you really have 3? I'll prove it... Based on what is in the ads, I predict that when they are posted, you'll see these comments: "is it just me or are the ads not as good this year?""well that's one store i don't have to bother with this year""the ads suck this year - where are the deals?""that's it! i'm not bothering to go out on BF this year!" So when those get posted, it will prove that I have the actual ads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbdinos Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I'll prove it... Based on what is in the ads, I predict that when they are posted, you'll see these comments: "is it just me or are the ads not as good this year?""well that's one store i don't have to bother with this year""the ads suck this year - where are the deals?""that's it! i'm not bothering to go out on BF this year!" So when those get posted, it will prove that I have the actual ads Maybe it will only prove that you are psychic...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DramaQueenLucy Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I'll prove it... Based on what is in the ads, I predict that when they are posted, you'll see these comments: "is it just me or are the ads not as good this year?""well that's one store i don't have to bother with this year""the ads suck this year - where are the deals?""that's it! i'm not bothering to go out on BF this year!" So when those get posted, it will prove that I have the actual ads Maybe it will only prove that you are psychic...... or that is the same thing people say every year...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfordmom Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I'll prove it... Based on what is in the ads, I predict that when they are posted, you'll see these comments: "is it just me or are the ads not as good this year?""well that's one store i don't have to bother with this year""the ads suck this year - where are the deals?""that's it! i'm not bothering to go out on BF this year!" So when those get posted, it will prove that I have the actual ads I predict that on BF someone will post that they went into a store (not waiting in a line over night but just getting up and going to a store after they open) and then complaining that they didn't get an item that was in an ad, and then say that they are "never shopping at that store again". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyers12345 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Maybe it will only prove that you are psychic...... or that history repeats itself... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berry1014 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 or that history repeats itself...I think you just nailed it. No matter how good or bad the ads are someone will always post: "is it just me or are the ads not as good this year?""well that's one store i don't have to bother with this year""the ads suck this year - where are the deals?""that's it! i'm not bothering to go out on BF this year!" I can't wait for the BF forum to open! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffnatu Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Wow, maybe more are putting Christmas stuff sooner. A local Target was putting out Christmas 2 days ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postal Phil Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 So Brad a nice simple question. When this month?????? Inquiring minds want to know just no one else has bothered to ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelly Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 or that is the same thing people say every year...lol:yup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachieKeen Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 it's funny this was posted today, one of my co-workers told me this morning she plans on starting her christmas shopping this weekend to get ahead of the game. I'm forever a procrastinator and too excited about the BF deals to start this early :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postal Phil Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 it's funny this was posted today, one of my co-workers told me this morning she plans on starting her christmas shopping this weekend to get ahead of the game. I'm forever a procrastinator and too excited about the BF deals to start this early :)Ahead of the game we started the day after Christmas Last year and were in full swing by January Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 So Brad a nice simple question. When this month?????? Inquiring minds want to know just no one else has bothered to ask.It will probably be soon. For now it's only going to be the "main" BF discussion forum - the store-specific ones will open in a few months. I'm not opening it early because there will be a lot of discussion, but more because I want to give the search engines time to index some of the initial threads before the craziness really starts. I also want to post some polls about some key topics to get some data I can use for all the press interviews this year and for our set of BF predictions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbdinos Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Ahead of the game we started the day after Christmas Last year and were in full swing by January Indeed... and about 75% of my shopping is done.. .mostly through GD online hot deals forum :) I love this place :) editing to add... BF is not about Christmas shopping for me... for me ... it's about using the survey money/gift cards I have saved all year to buy myself a treat :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shopping4my3son Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 My DH does an elaborate Christmas light display. It's always Christmas in his head. LOL Actually he has headphones he listens to the Xmas music he sets the lights to. At least I don't have to hear it all year and still enjoy it in winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgmckny Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 LOL And the BF forums will be opening this month too Cool... I've have nothing better to do anyway...LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimpooh19 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I saw this article in the NRF email this morning and thought I would pass it along. This is way too early! http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-thu-sears-christmas-0709-jul09,0,7213820.storylol..I've heard about Christmas in July, but this takes the cake:eyepoppin:cheesy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peifgirl Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 yeah, but i already have the first 4 BF ads, so i'm ahead of the game. just waiting a few months to post them I'll prove it... Based on what is in the ads, I predict that when they are posted, you'll see these comments: "is it just me or are the ads not as good this year?""well that's one store i don't have to bother with this year""the ads suck this year - where are the deals?""that's it! i'm not bothering to go out on BF this year!" So when those get posted, it will prove that I have the actual ads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julz0420 Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 My cousin works for Stevens Floral Gifts and Framing and she has been putting up Christmas tress all week. I actually just was telling dh last weekend that we need to start picking some stuff up. Planning on getting Madison the new DSi and a cheap MP3 player since she wont leave mine alone (the mp3) so those are 2 of the first things we'll be picking up... Well unless anyone thinks there will be any good DSi bundles on BF. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pogiporkchop Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Crazy. I can't believe (well, yes I can since I've worked retail before) things are getting started so early. Gives me something to think about though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetdiggity Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 I thought I was crazy! I was browsing Kmart.com last night and seen "Christmas Lane" and was like LOL I've heard of "Christmas in July" but that's just nuts! Too early for me. If it's hot enough to have air conditioning on, I am NOT even thinking of Christmas. I am excited for BF though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassgurlie04 Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 i havent been in sears but ill make a point to drop in now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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